2001 Dodge Neon RT

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. STARTER ASSEMBLIES WERE BUILT WITH SUSPECT PLASTIC TERMINAL BLOCKS WHICH COULD DEVELOP STRESS CRACKS SUBSEQUENT TO THEIR INSTALLATION ONTO THE BODY OF THE STARTER. SEPARATION OF THE TERMINAL BLOCK FROM THE STARTER BODY COULD POTENTIALLY ALLOW THE UN-FUSED POSITIVE TERMINAL TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH AN ADJACENT SURFACE, PROVIDING A PATH TO GROUND.

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD OVERHEAT THE STARTER WIRING, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STARTER TERMINAL BLOCK JUMPER HARNESS.

RECENTLY PURCHASED MY NEON STILL HAVE TO REGISTER IT IN MY NAME WHEN THE FRONT BUSSINGS IN THE STABILIZER BAR LITERLY FELL OUT AND I WAS IN A RURAL AREA N HAD TO TIE IT TOGETHER USING SHOE LACES AND WIRE THAT I FOUND I THOUGHT TO LOOK ON THE RECALLS LIST TO FIND MY NEON HAS ALMOST EVERY PROBLEM LISTED ON THE SAFTY RECALL FOR A 2001 NEON I AM A SINGLE PARENT FULL TIME COLLEGE STUDENT THIS IS MINE AND MY DAUGHTERS ONLY TRANSPORTATION SOME ONE LOOKED UNDER IT AND SAID OUR HEALTH AND SAFETY ARE AT RISK EVERY TIME WE GET INTO THE CAR HOW DO I GET THESES THINGS FIXED WHAT DO I DO THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION N GOT VERY WOBBLEY ALLSO THE ENGINE WHEN COMING TO A STOP WITH FOOT ON BREAK GETS RUFF AND WILL DIE SOMETIMES I PUT BRAND NEW TIRES ON IT BRIOR TO THE BUSHING FALLING OUT FROM FIRESTONE AND THEY WOULD HAVE SEEN PROBLEM IF IT WASNT SOME KIND OF DEFECT, I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR MAINTENENCE OIL CHANGE SPARK PLUGS COIL PACKS FUEL FILTERECT

THIS CAR HAS A DEFECTIVE DESIGN. THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH THAT CONTROLS THE TURN SIGNALS, HEADLIGHTS, AND FOGLIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY BLOWS FUSES. THE DEALER QUOTED ME OVER $98.00 PER HOUR TO "DIAGNOSE" THE PROBLEM, AND COULD NOT OFFER ANY HOPE OF HOW MANY HOURS IT WOULD TAKE TO FIX. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, AS NO CIRCUIT COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN ALTERED IN ANY WAY. I OBTAINED A NEW MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH, HOPING THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR IS CRACKED DUE TO HEAT AND PARTIALLY MELTED. THE INDIVIDUAL SPADE CONNECTORS ARE BLACKENED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CURRENT DRAW THROUGH THEM. THIS IS DANGEROUS AT BEST, POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC AT WORST.

IN 2004 I HAD TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH, FAST FORWARD TO APRIL 2008 AND THE SAME SYMPTOMS OCCURRED, DANGEROUSLY HOT STEERING COLUMN, AND SMOKE COMING OUT OF IT. I THINK THEY NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN (ORIGINAL COST TO REPLACE WAS $1,100). I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN A REASON FOR A RECALL, DOES SOMEONE NEED TO DIE BEFORE THIS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED? I SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. *TR

SAFETY ISSUE. MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH FOR THE LIGHT SYSTEM IS MELTING TO THE WIRING HARNESS AND CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO FAIL. PERIODICALLY THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD STOP WORKING AND THEN START AGAIN. AS THE PROBLEM PROGRESSES SMOKE RELEASES FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE HEADLIGHTS FAIL. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO BY A LICENSED MECHANIC, WITH DODGE REPLACEMENT PARTS, AND IS OCCURRING AGAIN. PROBABLE FIRE PROBLEM. CONTACTED DODGE AND THEY ARE NOT CONCERNED SINCE BOTH TIMES THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I NEED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED SOON AND WILL KEEP THE PARTS. *TR

THURSDAY, JANUARY 16TH, 2003: WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT, MY LIGHTS TURNED OFF. I STOPPED AND THEN DISCOVERED MY HIGH BEAMS STILL OWRKED. DROVE HOME SUNDAY, JANUARY 19TH, 2003: ATTENDED FUNERAL OF UNCLE AND DID GET TO LEAVE TILL DARK. DROVE HOME WITH HIGH BEAMS. WHEN ARRIVED HOME, LOW BEAMS NOW WORK CONDITONS: WAS EXTREMELY COLD, TEMPERATURE WELL BELOW NORMAL